Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe

Prepare and Preheat

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan with parchment and lightly flour, or use nonstick spray.

Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together 1.75 cups flour, 0.75 cup cocoa powder, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 1.5 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk 2 large eggs until lightly beaten. Add 1 cup buttermilk, 0.5 cup vegetable oil, and 2 tsp vanilla; whisk to combine.

Combine and Add Coffee

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until mostly combined. Gradually add 1 cup hot brewed coffee while stirring (batter will be thin). Mix just until smooth and homogeneous; avoid overmixing.

Bake

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in center of preheated oven for 30–38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color.

Cool

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15–20 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge, invert onto the rack, remove parchment, then right-side up and cool completely before glazing (about 1–2 hours).

Chop Chocolate

Place 10 oz chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl so it will melt quickly and evenly.

Heat Cream

In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup heavy cream just to a simmer (small bubbles at edges), do not boil.

Make Ganache

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit undisturbed for 1–2 minutes to soften. Gently stir from the center outward until chocolate is fully melted and ganache is smooth. Add 2 tbsp room-temperature butter, 1 tbsp corn syrup (if using), and 1/4 tsp salt; stir until incorporated and glossy.

Cool to Spreadable Consistency

Let ganache cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a pourable but spreadable consistency (about 15–30 minutes). For faster thickening, refrigerate in short 5–10 minute intervals, stirring between, to avoid over-cooling.

Glaze the Cake

Place the cooled cake on a wire rack set over a sheet pan to catch drips. Pour ganache over the center of the cake and use an offset spatula to gently coax the ganache to the edges so it drips down the sides evenly. Smooth the top if desired. Allow to set at room temperature (30–60 minutes) or refrigerate briefly (10–15 minutes) to firm up.

Make Crumble

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) if not already warm. In a medium bowl, combine 0.5 cup flour, 0.25 cup cocoa powder, 0.5 cup packed light brown sugar, and 1/8 tsp coarse salt. Add 4 tbsp cold cubed butter and, using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture forms coarse crumbs (pea-sized pieces).

Bake Crumble

Spread the crumble mixture in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake 8–12 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the crumbs are dry and slightly crisp at the edges. Watch closely to prevent burning.

Cool and Finish

Remove the crumble from the oven and let cool completely on the sheet pan; it will crisp further as it cools. Once cooled, break into clusters. Sprinkle cocoa crumble over the set ganache just before serving (or press lightly into the top edge for decoration).